LAMONT, Calif. (KERO) — Local artist and poet from Lamont, Jorge Guillen says his work is grounded in his 'cultura'—his culture.
- Local artist and poet Jorge Guillen draws inspiration from his culture and upbringing.
- Guillen's passion for art began in fourth grade while visiting the library and reading comic books.
- He started with illegal murals in Lamont but later gained recognition from local art councils.
- Guillen emphasizes the importance of cultural representation in his artwork.
- His goal is to inspire younger generations through his unique form of artistic expression.
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Inspired by his culture, local artist and poet Jorge Guillen says his artwork is a reflection of his upbringing. According to Guillen, his passion for art started when he was in the fourth grade visiting the library.
While growing up in Lamont, Guillen says his fourth-grade teacher would often take his class to the library. It was there where he says he would check out comic books, which ultimately sparked his artistic lens.
"I started doing illegal murals in Lamont on the streets as a 'chamaco [kid]' with kids destroying society and some crazy kids back in '93," said Guillen.
But it wasn't always like that. Guillen's work was later recognized by the Art Councils of Kern and the Hub of Bakersfield, allowing him to expand his work throughout Lamont, Bakersfield, and Fresno. As an artist and poet, Guillen says what's most important to him is being able to offer viewers the ability to feel represented by his work.
"The 'cultura [culture]' has to be represented," stated Guillen. "Growing up as a Chicano not knowing what is Chicano it is kind of hard. Growing up in a world where you're not seeing yourself in any of the artwork, TV shows, or music, you gravitate toward what's easiest to you."
Despite his art has taken a different shape, Guillen says his artwork will always be a visual representation of people, issues, and moments he's encountered in his life.
"It all goes back to whatever I see on the streets. Essentially everything that I do is graffiti it's just one version of another, whether it's ancient graffiti, new graffiti, or just spray paint that looks like flowers," explained Guillen.
Guillen says his goal is to inspire the younger generations with his form of expression.
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